Mahraan is a reader. He has been reading books since he was three years old, learning to read from his parents. A memory related to reading that he fondly remembers is reading Curious George in front of his entire kindergarten class. People read for many reasons. Some read for entertainment, others read for knowledge. Unfortunately, many only read because they are required to. To be an excellent reader, Mahraan gives these tips: take your time to comprehend what you are reading, don't just fly through it to get the book over with; be a proactive reader, notice things like setting, point-of-view, symbols, themes, allusions, and foreshadowing; annotations when reading aren't a must, but they certainly don't hurt; above all, if nothing else, appreciate and enjoy the literature you read. Mahraan believes that reading shouldn't be a painful process. The easiest part of reading for him is simply sitting down and finishing a book. The challenge he gets from trying to analyze and understand what he reads past a single dimension is the hardest part of reading for him, but also the most rewarding. Mahraan chooses his books based recommendations from friends and whether or not the cover/summary interests him. A good book for him is something that is exciting and well-written. Fantasies, mysteries, science-fiction, psychological thrillers, and exciting memoirs are some of his favorite genres. When Mahraan was young, he used to read wherever and whenever he got the chance. In a car, at a restaurant, in his bed until three in the morning, he was truly an avid reader. As he entered high school, reading for pleasure became less of a frequent habit. Required readings, homework, and extracurriculars now fill the spare time he would otherwise use for his own reading. Still, Mahraan eagerly seeks out good books, and when one presents itself, Mahraan will eagerly make the time to read it. Reading to Mahraan is an extremely enjoyable activity, one that is mentally stimulating, exciting, relaxing, and an excellent learning medium.

Mahraan is not only a reader, but also a writer. He believes he has been writing since he was three years old, learning to write from his parents. People write for many reasons. Some write to entertain (or for entertainment), some to record their thoughts, while others write to express their thoughts. Still others write to spread knowledge, something Mahraan thinks is an honorable endeavor. Many, however, write because they are required to. To be an excellent writer, Mahraan gives these tips: practice, practice, practice, its the only way you can develop your writing skills and expand your knowledge of grammar, an essential skill for a writer; read as much as possible, as this will help you understand what good writing really is (it will also expand your vocabulary, another important component to excellent writing); write the way you want to write, not how you think others want you to write (its your writing, use your own style to do it!); study how others write and use that to develop your own style; above all, if nothing else, appreciate and enjoy whatever it is you are writing. Mahraan likes to write short essays about events or memories that are important to him, but mainly enjoys writing research papers on topics he enjoys. The inspiration for his ideas come from many different sources, each different depending on what type of paper and parameters he is given. A peer, an applicable novel, and the Internet are just some examples of inspiration. Honest, thoughtful criticism from peers who truly understand the message he is trying to convey in his writing are the kinds of responses that Mahraan feels help him most as a writer. Mahraan rarely writes at home of his own accord. He does, however, write many pieces for school assignments. In general, Mahraan takes pride in what he writes and how he writes it, but sometimes finds writing to be not the most exciting task.